The Land of 3 Lamas

No one travels to Yuksom. This quaint little Himalayan village in North-East India was the first capital of Sikkim. Perched at a pristine 5800 feet above sea level, it is the place where 3 learned Lamas came together in 1641 and declared one of them as the King of Sikkim. A few odd visitors who stay at near by Pelling come for a quick look and leave. Many trekkers do reach Yuksom but soon go for famous high altitude treks to Dzongri & Goecha La. They descend & leave, often a bit oblivious to this village. All in all, no one sets out to visit Yuksom.

I too never set out for this village when I left from Mumbai. After tossing many options at Kolkata airport, I finally reached Yuksom only to realize that I didn’t have sufficient number of days for the high altitude treks. I decided to leave the very next day and called the airline to reschedule my return tickets. The polite airline lady sealed my fate for the next few days when she said that no return tickets were available. So here I was, stranded in Yuksom, as I slept off in a local guide’s homestay room.

The next morning I stepped out to catch my first glimpse of Yuksom. It was the most beautiful village I had ever seen. The mountains surrounded this tiny gathering of flower-adorned houses as if protecting this beauty from the outside world. Kids were chasing the hasty hens, as men & women continued with their morning chores in perfect rhythm, without the slightest sign of haste. The spring in my feet gathered momentum as unknown villagers welcomed me with smiles. The birds were chirping their own symphony as I sipped my morning cup of tea. Life was perfect.

Over the next few days I saw all of Yuksom. Norbugang Chorten - the coronation throne where the first King was crowned, the Kathog lake whose holy waters were used to consecrate the king, Dubdi monastery - the first monastery of Sikkim and Khechepalri lake - sacred lake of Sikkim. I knew nothing about their existence just a few days back, and now, with the help of my guide and villagers, I was experiencing some of the most beautiful and holiest places of the region. By the last day, I was thrice mistaken as a Nepali - one of the three main ethnic groups of Sikkim. It was as if Yuksom was unraveling its magic, especially for me.

I believe there are places you visit and there are some places that call you. I do want to go back, but I guess that depends on whether Yuksom wants to call me again.